Clutch mechanism



March 20, 1945.

E. s. COOKE 2,371,804

CLUTCH MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet l J EIgQl- Filed Jul 15, 1945 Wa V '7 4HErnest 5. C00 he,

Marc-h E CQQKE CLUTCHMEGHANISM Filed July 13, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY- Mai-ch20, 1945. CO E 2,371,894

CLUTCH MEGHANI SM Filed July 13,1945 3 Sheets-Sheet a Patented Mar. 20;1945 2,371,804 CLUTCH MECHANISM Ernest S. Cooke, Leawood, Kans.

Application July 13, 1943, Serial No. 494,559

' Claims.

This invention relates to a double acting clutch mechanism and thepresent invention is anim-f provement on the clutch mechanism disclosedby my U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,261,432 granted on the 4th day ofNovember, 1941. l

The present invention relates more particularly to means whereby bothclutches may be simultaneously engaged or disengaged, or either clutchcan be engaged or-di'sengaged'independently of the other. i

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference will nowbe had to the accompanying drawings, in which: i i

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional' view of my im: proved clutch mechanism.i

Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, with some partsremoved. l

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line with the clutch mechanism turnedcounter-clockwise approximatelyone-twelfth of a. revolution from theposition shown by Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of important parts of the presentinvention. M v

. Fig.5 is a rear elevation showing mechanism employed in simultaneouslyor independently engaging or disengaging the clutch mechanism.

Fig. 6 is Ia, side elevation of the mechanism disclosed by Fig. 5* Fig.7 is a broken top plan view parts disclosedby Figs. 5 ando. i aReferring more particularly to Figl 1, the numeral 2 designates one oftheclutch driving elements which, in the present instance, is in theformof a flywheel mountedupon a shaft 3 which. may -be an" enginecrank-shaftl The flywheel 2 has 3, casing 4 constituting" anotherwclutchdriving element axially alined with and secured to the flywheel bysuitable means such as bolts 6. The clutchcasing 4 has inlet andoutletair ports 5 and I in its rear and annular walls, respectively, forthefree circulation of air to prevent overheating of the enclosed clutchmembeers. The flywheel 2 and the clutch casing 4 of some of 1 e s. ofFig. 1

' pressed against the friction faces 8 and I0 of the have friction faces8 land I 0 for engagement with V hereinafter appear. The disk I6 isprovided with" a a hub 24 splined upon a direct drive shaft 26.

which may be utilized for driving thetransmission m'echanismjnot shown,of a tractor or other.

vehicle on which the clutch mechanism .is in.- stalled. The drive shaft26 is journaled atits Thedisks l6 and 18 also forward end in a pilotbearing 28 fixed axially in the hub ofthe flywheel 2." The disk 18 has ahub 3|] splined or otherwise connected to the forward end of a tubularshaft 32 through which the drive shaft 23 freely extends so thateitherone may rotate independently of the other.

. The tubular shaft 32 is journaled in ball-bearing s 34 and 36, mountedin the rear wall 38 of the clutch casing :4 and a housing 39,respectively, which latter'encloses the clutch mechanism and maybesecured to the rear end of the engine block, not shown. The rear end ofthe tubular shaft 32 is splined to or otherwise connected to theforward. end of another tubular shaft 40 which may be utilized foroperating a power takemaybe desired. A roller-bearing 4| isinterposedbetween the drive. shaft Hand the rear portion of the tubular shaft 32.

A pair of vannular clamping members project freely into equally spacedinternal grooves 60 and 82, respectively; arranged longitudinally in theannular wall 64 of the clutch casing 4 to provide means through whichthe latter drives said clamping members. a

Equi-spaced loading springs 66 are interposed between the clampingmembers 52 and 54 to press them into engagement with the friction faces20 and 22 of the disks lfiand l8, which in turn are flywheel 2 and the.clutch casing 4, respectively, so that said disksl6 and 18 may rotate asaunit with the flywheel 2,.theclutch casing 4 and the clamping members52 and 54 and .thusdrive. the

shafts 26 and 32-, respectively. The loading springs 66 are preferablyin the formof conical springs as shown and their opposite ends are heldin axialalinement by opposed bosses B8 .and

T0 projecting laterally from the clamping memhers 52 and 54,respectively.

The clamping member 52 is adapted to be moved axially out of engagementwith the friction disk ill; to release the latter'from the flywheel 2,by pull-rods 12 connected at one end to the respective peripheral lugs56 and extending longi- I tudinally through the grooves 60 and aperturesY 74, which latter register with the former and extend through the rearwall 38 of the clutch casing 4. The outer ends of the pull-rods 12extend freelythrough apertures 15 in. the outer ends. of asetofthrow-outlevers l6 mountedupon 52 and 54 are'axially arranged betweenandadjacent to the respective friction disks l6 and I8, and

provided with peripheral lugs 56and 58 which respective pivots I8carried by ears I9 projectingfrom the rear wall 38 of the clutch casing4. The inner ends of the throw-out levers I6 terminate adjacent to anannular ball-race 80 spaced by a series of intervening anti-frictionballs 82 froma companion balhrace 84. The outer ends of the pull-rods'IZare threaded to receive nuts the clamping member 52 out of engagementwith" the friction disk I6, as evidenced by correspond 1 13 ingreferencenumerals with exponents a. The throw-out leversIB and 16a are radiallydisposed with respect to the drive shaft 26 and the tubularshaft 32 asshown by Fig. 3. I

The different parts so far described are: somewhat'similar inconstruction and operation to the parts disclosed by my patent'hereinbefore referred to, the new features of. my present inventionresiding more particularly in means whereby both' clutches may besimultaneously engaged or disengaged, oreither clutch' may be engagedordisengaged independently of'the'other.

Referring now more particularly to the new features, '88 designates anonrotatable sleeve reciprocablymounted upon a stationary tubularsupport 90 which freely surround's and is concentric with thetubular'shaft 32 and has an annularfiange 92 at its rear end bolted orotherwise secured to the housing 30'. Thesleeve 88 comprises apluralityof longitudinal segments curved transversely to slidably fituponthe support 90 and are held in assemblyby theballrace 84, ball-raceshereinafter described, and a ringe i. The sleeve 88 may compriseanysuitabl'enumber of'segments. In the present instance I' haveshown'two pairs of segments 06 and 98, respectively,-the segments ofeach pair 'beingdiametrically opposed as best shown by Figs.

2 and 3: The segments 96' and 98 are provided adjacent their forwardendswith peripheral segmental collars I and I02', respectively. fThe collarsH are spaced apart; Fig.4, to f'reel'y'receive an internal annularflange I04 on'the ballrace 84. The collars I02 are'likewise spacedapartto'freely receive an annular internal flange I06 of a ball-race I08freely embracing the" sleeve 80-and arranged beside a companionball-race IIO, which-latter cooperates with the former in providing-arunwayfdr a plurality of antifriction balls II 2. The segments are'heldfrom rotating with the; ball-races 84 and I08 by respective groove andfeather connections I I I with the tubular support 90. The s'egments96and 08 are provided! with laterally projecting lugs H6 and I24,

respectively, for a purpose which will presently appear; Somewhatsimilar means are employed for'operating the segments 95' and 08 eitherindependently or simultaneously; comprising rock-- levers II4, I26having forked terminals engaging: the lugs: H6 and I24, respectively;The rocklevers: III I: are'fixed to a vertical rock-shaft H8 mounted inbearings I and provided at an outer mounted in bearings I30 and providedat an outer end with a fixed control lever I 3 I. The levers I22 and I3Imay be independently or simultaneously operated, and in practice will bepreferably conto within convenupon a fulcrum I54 projecting fromopposite sides "member I62.

of a bearing I56 fixed upon the housing 39.

'Ilie: pedal 150 is adapted to operate the lever I22 through a memberI58, a link I60, and a The member I has one end I64 connected to thelower end of the pedal I50 and its opposite end connected by aball-andsocket joint I66 to the rear end of the link I60,whichiisconnected at its forward end by" a'ball- .and-socket-joint t6-I-to-therear end: of the member I62, the opposite end of whichis connectedtothe lever I22 by a, pivot I 68; Byproviding the foregoing connectionsample flexibility is pro-- vided to enable the different partsto'operate freely when the pedal I50 is: actuated;

The pedal I52 iseadapted' to operate the lever I3I' througha lever. I70and a link' I1 2. The lever H0 is mounted upon a fulcrumfIrld' and has a1 pinand'slot connection. I16 at one end with the lower end. of' thepedal; I52, and a pivotal. connection I 78 at its oppositeend-withthe.link"I"I-2, which latter has a pivotal connection I80 withthe lever I3I. 4

In order'that the footpedals I50 and I52may be operated eitherindependently or simultaneously; Iprovide their upper ends with footplates I82 and I85; respectively. The foot plates are placed in closeproximity so that either one 'end to a1ug'I88on'the pedal I50; so thatthe latch may, be. swungintoflor out of engagement with a keeper I onthezpedal I52.

When'the levers. I22 and I'I'IIv are actuated as above described thelever I;22,through. the intervening parts advances the sleeve segments96 and the? lever f3I' causesret'raction of the sleeve segments'98. j

With the foregoing arrangement it is apparent that whenthesegmentsQB areshifted forwardly, Figshl and 4, they will effect. release of thefriction disk. I6. from the fiywheelZ by shifting. the clampingmember 52backward through the instrumentality of the balL-race.80,. the throw-outlevers 'lfiand pull-rods 12.. Release of; the friction disk I6 stops.rotation of the drive shaft 26, while the friction disk I8- continues torotate the tubular-shaft32. r Y

When thepair of segments 98 are-moved back-- wardly, Fig. 4, theyeffeotrelease .of' the friction disk 18 from the friction face I 0 byshifting the end a control lever I22 The rock-levers I26 are fixed uponahorizontal rock-shaft I28 clamping member 54' forwardly through theintermediacy of. the ball-race II0, a tubular member L32, the throw-outlevers. 16a, and the pull-rods 12a; Release of the: friction disk: I8permits the tubular shaft 32 to stop while? thedrivezshaft- 25ccntinuestorotate". I

r "The tubular member I32 is provided at its rear end with an internalannular flange I34 for engagement with the ball-race] l0, and providedatitsforward endwith an external annular flange I36 for engagement withthe throw-out levers 16a. The tubular member I32 is slidablymountedupona tubular guide I freely surrounding the ball-bearings'onsleeve 88. The guide I40 is provided at its forward "end with anexternal annular 'fiange I42, secured to the rear wall of thelutchcasing 4 by appropriate means such as screws I44. Registeringlongitudinal slots I46 and 148 are provided in the tubular member I32and the guide I40, respectively, through which the inner ends of thethrow-out levers 16 project into the path of the ball-race 80. V Fromthe foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings it is apparent that I have provided clutch mechanism havingtheadvantages above pointed out, and al though I have described in detailsome specific embodiments of my invention it is not my desire that myinvention be limited to the embodiments described anddisclosed herein,as various "changes may be made without departing from the scope of myinventiori as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is:

' 1; In clutch mechanism comprising, in combination, firstand secondcoaxial clutches, each comprising cooperative elements, a shaft forIeach I I clutch, first and second clamping members mounted for rotationwith bothclutches and arranged for independent axial movement, springmeans interposed between said clamping members to force them axially inopposite directions and thereby effect engagement of each clutch, firstand second sets of throw-out levers mounted for rotation with a clutchelement and operably connected to the first andsecond clamping members,respectively, to move them toward each other'and thereby effectdisengagement of each'clutch, a support, a sleeve mounted upon saidsupport and including slidable first means which, when slid in onedirection operates the first set of throw-out levers,

and second slidable means adapted to be slid in an opposite direction tothe movement of the first slidable means, a member actuated by thesecond slidable means and adapted t operate the second set of throw-outlevers, and manually controlled means connected to the first and secondslidable means to operate the same either simultaneously orindependently.

2. In clutch mechanism comprising, in combination, first and secondcoaxial clutches, each comprising cooperative elements, a shaft for eachclutch, first and second clamping members mounted forrotation with bothclutches and arranged for independent axial movement, spring meansinterposed between said clamping members to force them axially inopposite directions and thereby'efiect engagement of each clutch, firstand second sets of throw-out levers radially mounted upon a rotaryclutch element and operably connected to the first and second clampingmembers, respectively, to move them toward each other and thereby efiectdisengagement of each. clutch, a support, a sleeve comprising first andsecond means slidable upon the support, said first slidable means beingadapted when slid in one 1 operating said first andls econd sets ofslidable} ranged *for independent axial movement, spring means"interposed between; said clamping members to force themuaxially in:opposite directions and thereby effectengagementtofi each clutch, firstand second sets of throw-out levers radially mounted uponIa rotaryclutchelement and operablyconnectedI tothe first and second clampingmembers, respectively, to move them toward each other and thereby effectdisengagement of each clutch, a support, axsleeveIcomprising first andsecond means slidable upon thesupport, said first slidable means beingadapted to Ioperatethe first set of throw-out levers, atiubular supportcarried by one of the clutch 'membersand arrangedconcentrically with thesleeve; a tubular member slidable upon the last-mentioned :support .andprovided with a peripheral flange adapted to operate thesecond set ofthrow-out levers, said tubular memberbeing adapted to begactuated by thesecond slidable means, and means for operat I ing said first and secondsets "of slidablemeans.

4. In clutch mechanism comprisingyin combi mounted for rotation withbothIclutches andar- I ranged for independentaxial movement, springmeans interposed :betweensaid clamping members to force them axially in"oppositedirections and .therebymeifect engagement of each clutch, firstand second sets of-throw-out levers mounted for rotation with a clutchel'ement and'operably connectedto the first and second clamping members,respectively, to move them toward each other andtherebyeffect-disengagement ofeach clutch, a support, a sleeve'mountedupon said support and including first andsecond slidable means,antifrictional; means mounted upon the I sleeve and connected to thefirst slidable means whereby when the latter is moved in one directionsaid antifrictional means will actuate the first setIof throw-outlevers, a tubular member interposed between the second set of throw-outlevers and the second set of slidable, means whereby when the latter areshifted in an opposite direction to the movement of the first slidablemeans direction to operate the first set ,of throw-out levers, a memberadapted toactuate the second set of throw-out levers and in turn beactuated by the said second slidable means, and means for the second setof throw-outlevers will be actuated, and manually controlled means forshifting the slidable means. I

5. In clutch mechanism comprising, in combination, first and secondcoaxial clutches, each comprising cooperative elements, a shaft foreachclutch, first and second clamping members mounted for rotation with bothclutches and arranged for. independent axial movement, spring meansinterposedbetween said clamping mem- I bers'to force them axially inopposite directions movement of thefirst: sl'idable' means, a tubularmember concentric with'the sleeve and provided an internal. annularflange, antiirictional means mounted upon the second slidable meansadapted to. engagesaid, internal flange and' cause the tubularmembertoractuate the second. setof levers whensaid second slidable meansis moved in'an .oppositeidirection to the movement. of the moved axiallyeither-independentlyor'sinrultanefirst slidablemeans, andmeansforoperating the clutch, first and second clamping members mounted forrotation with both clutches and ar-- ranged" for independent axialmovement, spring means interposed between said clamping members toforce-them axially in opposite directions and thereby efiect engagementof. each clutch,

fiISt'BJldsecond sets of throw-out levers mounted r for? rotation with aclutch. element and operably connected tothe first and: second clampingmembers, respectively, to move. them toward each other andthereby'efiect disengagement of each clutch, a. sleeve comprising firstand second segmental means, a. supportuponwhich said segmentalmeans-areislidably mounted; a slidable member supported betweenithe;second set of levers and the. second segmental means, means. forsliding: thefirst segmental'means in one direction to'effect operationof the first. set of levers, and means-for" sliding; the secondsegmental means inian. opposite direction to the movementof the firstsegmental means: tozeactuate the second set of levers throughtheinstrumentality of the inter. vening: slidable': member;

"7 In clutchlmechanisma nonrotatable sleeve comprising, diametricallyopposed pairs of segments, means for holding said segments in assembly,a :stationarysupportupon which the segments are-mounted .for'axial-movement, and manually controlled::meansassociated with each pairofsegments "whereby .the" latter may be ously.

8. In clutch mechanism, a nonrotatable sleevecomprisingdiametrically-opposed pairs of segments, means for holdingsaid segments in assembly, parallel peripheral shoulders spaced apartupon eachpair ofsegments, and ball bearings encircling the segments andprovided with internal annular flanges, respectively, one of said,flanges projecting between the shoulders on one pair of segments and theother flange projecting between the shoulders of the other-pair ofsegments, and a fixedsupport uponwhich said sleeve is slidably mounted.

9. In clutch mechanism, asleeve comprising diametrically-opposed pairsof segments, means for holding. said. segments in assembly, lugs.projecting from eachpair of segments, levers associated with the lugs ofeach pair of segments for operating the latter, shafts upon which saidlevers are fixed, means for operating. said shafts, and a support. uponwhichzthe. segments are operably mounted.

to effect disengagement of. the elements of each clutch, said throw-outmeans including. anonrotatable sleeve coaxial with the clamping mem bersand comprising a plurality of segments. slidable in parallel relationtothe axis of the sleeve, means for retaining the segments in assembly,and operating. means. whereby certainof the segments may be slid in onedirection and the other segments may be slid in. the opposite directionto effect axial movement! of the clamping members toward each other.

ERNEST S. COOKE..

